Other written product issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The sooner our nation acts to address Social Security's long-term financial challenges, the easier it will be to successfully meet them. Once explained, the choices we face are not difficult to understand, but they are difficult to make. They affect both how much Americans pay for Social Security and how much they receive from the program. They require changes that not only will affect us but have implications for future generations. They also are difficult because they involve deeply felt values, such as community, individualism, fairness, and human dignity. This guide tries to boil down the complexities of Social Security and the implications of reform to the basic choices we face as a nation."

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The screening of airport passengers and their checked baggage is a critical component in securing our nation's commercial aviation system. Since May 2003, GAO has issued six products related to screener training and performance. This report updates the information presented in the prior products and incorporates results from GAO's survey of 155 Federal Security Directors--the ranking Transportation Security Administration (TSA) authority responsible for the leadership and coordination of TSA security activities at the nation's commercial airports. Specifically, this report addresses (1) actions TSA has taken to enhance training for passenger and checked baggage screeners and screening supervisors, (2) how TSA ensures that screeners complete required training, and (3) actions TSA has taken to measure and enhance screener performance in detecting threat objects."

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Few things generate more attention and anxiety among American consumers than the price of gasoline. Periods of price increases are accompanied by high levels of media attention and consumer questioning about the causes and impacts of the price changes. The most recent upsurge in prices is no exception. Between January 3 and April 11, 2005, gasoline prices increased nearly every week, and during this time the average U.S. price for regular unleaded gasoline jumped 50 cents per gallon, adding about $7.8 billion to consumers' total gasoline bill, or about $58 for each passenger car in the United States. Spending billions more on gasoline pinched consumer budgets, leaving less money available for other purchases. Beyond having concerns over price increases, consumers find it difficult to understand how prices can vary so much across the country or even from neighborhood to neighborhood. For example, consumers in San Francisco paid an average of $2.63 per gallon during the week of April 11, 2005, while consumers in Chicago paid $2.33 per gallon; in Denver, $2.25; in New York, $2.19; and in Houston, $2.12. Within the city of Washington, D.C., pump …

Other written product issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This publication is superceded by GAO-11-646SP, Performance Measurement and Evaluation: Definitions and Relationships, May 2011. Both the executive branch and congressional committees need evaluative information to help them make decisions about the programs they oversee--information that tells them whether, and in what important ways, a program is working well or poorly, and why. In enacting the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 (GPRA), Congress expressed frustration that executive branch and congressional decisionmaking was often hampered by the lack of good information on the results of federal program efforts. Seeking to promote improved federal management and the increased efficiency and effectiveness of federal programs, GPRA instituted a governmentwide requirement for agencies to set goals and report annually on program performance. Many analytic approaches have been employed over the years by the agencies and others to assess the operations and results of federal programs, policies, activities, and organizations. Periodically, individual evaluation studies are designed to answer specific questions about how well a program is working, and thus such studies may take several forms. GPRA explicitly recognizes and encourages a complementary role for these types of program assessment: …

This report discusses federal funding for IT research and development. Proponents assert that federal support of IT R&D has produced positive outcomes for the country and played a crucial role in supporting long-term research into fundamental aspects of computing. Critics assert that the government, through its funding mechanisms, may be picking “winners and losers” in technological development, a role more properly residing with the private sector.

This report is a guide to one of the regular appropriations bills that Congress considers each year.

Letter from Leonard Sullivan, Jr. of NARPAC, Inc to BRAC chairman Anthony J. Principi regarding closing facilities in order to open up land for urban development.

Letters from Governor Mitchell Daniels, Jr. to Harold Gehman, Jr., James V. Hansen, and James T. Hill discussing Naval Support Activity Crane, a joint Navy-Army installation located in Southwestern Indiana.

On May 1, 2004, 10 states joined the European Union (EU), enlarging the Union to 25 members. The EU views the enlargement process as an historic opportunity to promote stability in Europe and further the integration of the continent by peaceful means. In addition to the 10 new members (Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia), three other states — Bulgaria, Romania, and Croatia — hope to accede to the EU by 2007. Turkey is also a candidate and is expected to begin accession negotiations in 2005. Macedonia has also applied for EU membership.